Few ferries heading to Koh Chang due to low tide

Trat Port Authority reported on Monday that over the long Visakha Puja weekend, some 40,000 travellers in more than 4,000 vehicles boarded ferries to Koh Chang.

“People were heading back to the mainland on Monday, but due to low tide, some ferries had to suspend operation,” a port authority official said. “There was a 2.8-kilometre-long queue of cars waiting to get on the ferries, which caused a traffic jam at Ao Sapparot Pier [Pineapple Bay Pier]. Some travellers said they had been waiting for more than two hours to get to the mainland.”

Meanwhile, the operator of Koh Chang Ferry Pier at Ao Thammachat said on Monday that they expected to use only three out of five boats due to low tide all this week. Two ferries will be added to the fleet as soon as the tide rises to the normal level, which is usually from 3pm daily. The operator also called on travellers to monitor updates via facebook.com/FerryKohChang/ and plan their trips accordingly.

The 212.94 square kilometre Koh Chang in the eastern province of Trat is Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket and is part of the Mu Koh Chang National Park. The island, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is famous for its coral reefs, diving spots and diversity in marine life.